Sanctuary
by MyTimeIs0000
Summary: Back a long time ago, Zexion and Demyx were best friends, but something changed. Now, Zexion just wants him to stay away. But, what happened? What's different now? Zemyx with a few minor pairings. Warning: Yaoi, abuse. Finishing for luckless-is-me.
1. Chapter 1

**Howdy, I'm finishing this story for luckless-is-me. I have her permission, so no worries there. I don't own Kingdom Hearts, Zexy, Demy, or even this story until chapter 5. Please look luckless up and read the other stories she's working on, if you like this one. Well, then, without further ado, here is chapter 1.**

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"_I'm hungry,"_ I it was a simple thought. One Zexion knew well, though he couldn't do anything about it. He never really could. The boy sighed, light blue hair swaying to cover up his previously naked, slate blue eye. He hated lunch. All it did was cause his stomach to knot, making it seem more concave then it already was. He didn't dwell on it though. After all, he wouldn't be getting any money anytime soon. His 'mother' wouldn't allow him any unless his step-father allowed it, and he very seldom did, so it was just easier to ignore the never ending ache in his gut.

Resigned, he took a seat on the front of the school's steps and cracked open the book he'd been reading for English. No one stopped to say anything. No one stopped at all. Of course, Zexion preferred it this way. It was easier. How could he have real friends if he couldn't allow himself to tell them anything? It would really just be a pointless effort for both parties involved.

"Zexy!" Inwardly, the boy groaned. It was a pointless effort that some just couldn't seem to give up on. Looking up form his book, Zexion watched that one person that just wouldn't give up cross the front of the school and stand a mere two steps away. "Umm…hi." Zexion's visible eye narrowed slightly, taking in the sight of the male towering over him. Slightly baggy jeans held up by a light silver belt, covering light blue converses grazed his hips. Two, layered, short-sleeve shirts hugged his torso loosely, both obnoxiously brightly colored, of course. Bright yellow ad light blue. Long, dirty blonde hair slapped against his prominent cheeks in a mullet like style, a nervous smile gracing his lips. Ocean like eyes held Zexion's one visible, icy blue one in a vice like grip. Just the sight of the blonde made Zexion want to scream, or simply disappear, his heart hammering in his chest. Out of all the billions of people in the world, this was the one he was most likely to tell his deepest secrets. Therefore, he had to be the one kept the farthest away.

'What do you want, Demyx?" he asked, irritatedly closing his book with a loud thump.

Demyx laughed nervously, shuffling his weight back and forth from one foot to the other. He really did like Zexion, even though he'd changed, but something about him was just…intimidating. "Uh…how've you been?" Zexion's narrow eyebrow raised questioningly. _'I'm an idiot'_, the blonde screamed at himself. Why didn't he just say _'hey, how's the weather if he'd wanted to do nothing but stall!'_

"Fan-_fucking_-tastic." One blue eye rolled, clearly annoyed. Life sucked, and was, quite honestly, just getting worse. Why couldn't Demyx just leave him alone and go play his sitar or something? Or, watch that pyro friend of his blow something up? Really, why couldn't he just leave him alone? His constant _need_ to be friends again was aggravating. Not to mention the fact that it was literally killing him on the inside. There was nothing he wanted more then to get close to Demyx again, just like he used to. That didn't change the fact that it wasn't going to happen. It _couldn't_happen.

Irritated, Zexion shoved his book back into his messenger bag and slung it over his shoulder, standing up to face his blonde tormentor, a glare painted plainly on his porcelain face.

Demyx shuffled a bit. "Umm…yeah." This was just pathetic, and the blonde knew it. He was just so _intimidated_ by him. Even the fact that he was a foot taller and a lot stronger did nothing to make him feel better. Hell, Zexion was probably the least fit person in the entire school, nothing but bones sticking out of all those layers of black and blue. Even his knees jutted out of his skinny jeans. He was a bag of _bones_, yet he, the accomplished high school musician and captain of the swim team, was _terrified_ of him. Was he really this pathetic?

"Bye." Promptly, the bluenette turned on his heel and slipped into the building, leaving Demyx with nothing to do but watch him leave, head on over to his friends, and _hopefully_ forget about him.

Zexion's chest was literally _throbbing_ from the frantic beating of his heart. He _had_ to stay away from the blonde. No matter how much he might want to be friends with him like he used to; he just couldn't. they weren't the same as they used to be, and they _weren't_going back. After all, he couldn't just rewind time; the world didn't work that way. He was stuck in the worthless rut until the day he got away, or, more likely, the day he died. Until one or the other happened, he was stuck.

O.o.O

"You okay, Dems?" Demyx nodded, taking a seat across form his redheaded, pyromaniac of a friend. Axel had been Demyx's best friend ever since he'd moved to Twilight Town, so it was only natural for him to worry when the mullet-head wasn't smiling. After all, he was _always_smiling. "You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." Demyx shot his friend a small smile, leaning back against one of the schoolyard's few trees. Axel shot him a knowing one back. He knew what the problem was, even if Demyx didn't really want him to know.

"Zexion trouble?" The blonde's face fell. Axel was right; he always was. Axel knew how much he loved the shorter, blue-haired teen. He even knew how much it hurt him that the boy would barely even speak to him anymore. The redhead had never had a problem with Zexion until he'd started treating Demyx so coldly. Why would he? He was quiet, kept to himself, and didn't seem to really care about the world outside of his books. But, in Axel's mind, the way he treated Demyx like some sort of disease was unforgivable. Though, he'd never let Demyx know what he thought about the bluenette. The blonde would never forgive him. Because, to Dems, Zexion was his world.

"How do you always know?" Demyx whined.

"Because I know everything." Axel smirked, watching Roxas and his friends cross the schoolyard and join their little circle. Roxas, the spiky haired blonde, leaned down for a chaste kiss form the redhead before taking a seat in between him and Demyx, his other three friends- Hayner, Pence, and Olette- seating themselves accordingly.

"Hey, bro." Demyx smiled at his younger brother as he leaned back into Axel's much taller frame. The tow had been dating for months now, and Demyx would be lying if he said he wasn't happy for them. Axel was his best friend and Roxas was his little brother. Of course he was happy for them. But, that aside, he couldn't help but feel just a little bit envious of the two. They'd just gotten together so easily…he wished he and Zexion could get together like that. But, he knew that was just a childish way of thinking, something he was accused of often. Nothing could ever be that easy. He didn't even know if Zexion was actually gay. For all Demyx knew, he could be asexual. He sighed, maybe it really was hopeless.

O.o.O

Zexion's shoulders slumped, his bag loosely swinging by his side as he trudged home. He hated walking home, or going home at all really. He was used to Twilight Town's snow during the winter months and the heat waves during the summers, but this was just ridiculous. It was so hot that the rubber on the soles of his converses was melting into the sidewalk. He was even sweating and that hardly _ever_ happened. He didn't drink enough for something like that.

He sighed, pulling his sleeves down over his fingertips to avoid getting burned. Maybe it wouldn't seem so bad if he could just take these sleeves off, but he couldn't. what would he do if somebody he knew saw him? What would they say if they saw the cuts? The bruises? No; he couldn't risk such a thing for a few moments of cooling down. It didn't matter anyway; he was already home.

Sighing again (he seemed to be doing that a lot lately), he opened the door to his rundown apartment complex, an assortment of smells attacking his sensitive nostrils. The place was old- an understatement, but true nonetheless- and always seemed to have a stranger smell every time you opened the door, no matter how hard the owner worked on it. Come to think of it, maybe Xigbar lost it because he inhaled too fumes. After awhile, they have to start causing _some_ damage.

Bag tightly held against his side, Zexion made his way up to his apartment, shutting the door behind him as quietly as he could once he was inside. Sadly, it wasn't quietly enough.

"You're late."

The teen jumped at the sound, blue hair standing on end. He watched the owner of that oh-so-dreaded voice at the end of the narrow hall, hands on her waist, that antenna like blonde hair of hers sticking up, just adding to her devilish smirk. How he'd learned to hate this woman. Back a long, long time ago, she was kind, always comforting him, holding him when he needed it. She'd even held his hand back on his first day of kindergarten. But, that was a long, long time ago. Now, the blonde-haired, sadistic, smirking woman could only be described by one word that nearly made bile rise in the bottom of his throat; _Larxene_.

"I'm sorry…"

"No, you're not, you little shit." Without a second thought, Larxene backhanded him, Zexion's slender frame crumpling slightly. The bluenette kept his head held low, hair covering his face, as he retreated into his tiny bedroom. Though, however fast he tried to get away, he didn't miss what Larxene said last.

"_I'll be sure to tell him once he gets home."_

Zexion sighed, he might as well do his homework while he still had the chance. Hastily, he opened his school bag and immersed himself in what he could only consider his sanctuary; a book. His key to another world.

O.o.O

"Wanna scream, brat?" Zexion shook his head, blue hair matting to his sweaty forehead. No; he wouldn't scream. No matter how hard he tried to make him; he wouldn't. if he were to scream, someone might hear him. Someone might figure it out. And, he could_not_ let that happen. It didn't matter if it hurt, if it was wrong, Zexion wouldn't make a sound. He wouldn't tell a soul. "Then, how about I make you?"

The teen bit into his lower lip, sinking his teeth in and allowing metallic blood to coat his tongue. Anything to distract himself form what was being done to him. Those rough hands groping him where they shouldn't, that strangely tanned skin reflecting the moon's shadowy light, and that awful silver hair tickling his abdomen. He wished he could just close his eyes and pretend he was somewhere else. That he was _someone_else. He couldn't, though. Zexion wasn't a child. He knew that simply wishing for something wouldn't make it happen. So he endured it. Every day, every week, every month, every year. He knew that there was no escaping form this man. He would always have control.

"Do you want it?" Zexion shuddered, not resisting those persistent hands as they spread his legs wide, touching all of the bluenette's sensitive areas. Oh, how he wanted to say no, to just get away form this man. But, however, one couldn't always have what they want. So, he said the only thing he could.

"Yes, Xemnas."

And, he let it happen again. After all, not everyone is allowed a sanctuary.


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter two from luckless-is-me:

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Zexion curled, trembling knees held steady by his sore chin. Everything hurt. No part of him was left untainted; from his blue hair to his skinny toes. He kept his face blank, void of all emotion, hidden behind a blanket of sweaty hair, even though there would have been no one there to see the state he was in anyway. At times like this, he couldn't help but think about what had just happened, even though he wished he didn't.

He'd been violated again. He'd _let_himself be violated again. He'd let every bit of dignity he had left disappear. No; that was a lie. He hadn't lost it all. He hadn't screamed. He hadn't even made a sound. Not when Xemnas pushed in ruthlessly. Not when he dug his nails into the side of his hips a little too deeply. Not even when he'd spilled his essence in him, forcing him to do the same on the bed sheets, did he make a sound. Of course, that didn't help the fact that he'd still let it happen. He could've told someone by now, consequences be damned. He could've at least tried to get away. But, he hadn't, and he had to live with it. Every day, he had to live with it. And, every day, he had to think and rethink about what would happen at night while no one was watching, or what would happen if he could make himself tell someone about it all. Though, no matter what, he wouldn't tell anyone. And, he knew he wouldn't. He'd always been secretive. Always. And, he just couldn't let anyone know a secret like this. No; people would shun him, or worse. They'd _pity_him, and that was the absolute last thing he wanted.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the teen crawled out of bed, ignoring the pain in his lowers, and, with the help of the wall, he made it into the small bathroom out in the hall. It was a compact little space with barely enough room to move, but to Zexion, it was one of those few safe places he had.

Shaking violently, he lowered himself into the tub and turned the water on, curling himself up into a tight ball like he had on his bed. He didn't want to think anymore. He didn't want to care anymore. He just wanted to disappear. To make it where he'd never existed at all. What a stupid, childish want. He knew it wouldn't happen. It never would. He was a pat of the world, and he always would be. He couldn't just erase himself, as much as he wanted to. The world didn't work that way. But, even though that was true, he couldn't make himself _not_ want it. As stupid and as childish as it was.

O.o.O

_Zexion covered in cake, a smile on his face, showing pearly white baby teeth._

_Swoosh._

_Zexion sitting in Demyx's living room, a fat housecat perched on his shoulder, nearly weighing him down._

_Swoosh._

_Demyx and Zexion on their first trip to the amusement park._

_Swoosh._

_Demyx and Zexion's final picture together before Zexion had to leave, tear marks clearly visible on both boy's faces._

_Swoosh._

_Zexion going through his locker, not knowing that there was a camera hidden only a few feet away._

Damn it.

Demyx dropped the photo album on the floor. He was such a stalker. He was _pathetic,_taking hidden photos, following Zexion around at school when he wasn't looking. All this, and he couldn't even carry on a conversation with him!

The blond groaned, burying his face in one of his many pillows and kicking the wall. Why? Why was he so _fascinated_by Zexion? The teen with the short, boney frame and that weird blue hair. And, those eyes! They were just too complex beneath the surface. He knew an idiot like him would never understand what went on in that pale boy's head, but he sure as hell wished he could. He was just too…beautiful, too perfect. It really wasn't any wonder that Zexion wouldn't even give someone as plain as Demyx the time of day. Who cared if Demyx's was the captain of the swim team, or the best musician in school? He was _nothing_compared to Zexy.

Again, he groaned, this time screaming into the poor pillow he'd chosen.

"Wha cha doin'?" The blond jumped back, effectively falling out of bed in the process. Hastily, he scrambled to get up off the floor, looking up at the doorway once he finally did. And in it stood Sora sporting a bed-head, pajamas, and a…moogle pillow? Well, okay, Sora _was_ a kid at heart.

"Nothing."

Sora nodded, yawning sleepily, too exhausted to really care about Demyx's antics. "Oh, okay…'night Demy. No more kicking the wall." With that, he disappeared somewhere down the hall. Faintly, Demyx could hear a door click shut.

He sighed, lying back on his bed and clapping his hands twice. Lights out. Maybe he'd actually get up the nerve to talk with Zexion tomorrow.

O.o.O

"_Do you think dad'll let me have one?" A light blue haired boy asked, holding up a pure white kitten._

"_I dunno. Maybe." Demyx smiled watching Zexion play with the tiny feline. He was so gentle with them. The kitten never even whined at him like it did Demyx whenever he picked it up. Zexion was its favorite, but the blond didn't really mind. He was his favorite too._

_The bluenette smirked, setting the kitten down to be with its mom. "He'll say yes if I ask."_

"_How do you know?"_

"_Because he always does." Demyx didn't doubt that. Zexion's dad always gave him everything he wanted, since he felt bad about not being able to give Zexion his mom._

_They stayed in a content silence for awhile. Zexion continued to watch the kittens tease their mama while Demyx continued to watch him. The blonde's house was strangely quiet, mainly since the triplets were out. Sora, Roxas, and Namine were always pretty loud when they were together. Though, Sora was pretty much always loud; the other two just seemed to follow his example when they were around him._

"_Hey, Demyx?"_

"_Yeah, Zexy?"_

_Zexion twitched. "You know, I_really _hate that nickname."_

_The other boy beamed down at him form his perch on the couch. "Yeah, I know…you were saying?"_

"_Do you think we'll always be friends?"_

_Demyx could've sworn he'd stopped breathing. Would they always be friends? He couldn't imagine not being able to talk with Zexy about everything like they did now. What would he do if he couldn't see Zexion all the time? Would they always be like this? Friends? No; they weren't just friends. They were_best _friends. Though, demy did wish that they could be something more; he just didn't want to risk their friendship by forcing his emotions on him. He wouldn't put Zexion in such an awkward position. But, still, he couldn't imagine them not being friends at all._

"_Of course we will."_

_Zexion smiled up at him, truly smiled. "I hope so."_

O.O.O

Ocean blue eys shot open, a panicked chest heaving. Demyx loved that memory of the two of them, but he couldn't help but loathe it at the same time. He had lied. The blonde had said they'd always be friends, but they weren't anymore. It wasn't like Demyx hadn't tried to stay friends. It was just that Zexion, apparently, had had enough of him.

Demy, of course, had no idea what had happened. One day Zexion was crying in his arms about having to move away and the next day he was gone. No one knew where he went, and no one had heard from him while he was away. Two years later, he comes back, but won't even exchange more then a few words with Demyx, his former best friend. Dems could only think that sometime while he was away he figured out how much of an ifiot Demyx really was and didn't want to have anything to do with him anymore because of it. It was the only thing that made any sense.

Demy sighed, rolling over to check the clock on his nightstand. **3:42 a.m.** Too early to start getting ready for school. The blond sighed heavily, rolling over and trying to get back to sleep.

O.o.O

The bluenette tried to make himself smaller, sinking just a little bit farther into hid desk every few minutes so no one would notice. He covered up as much of his face as he could with his hair and hid as much skin as he possibly could without drawing any attention to himself. He just couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him. And, he did _not_like the feeling. Not at all.

Cautiously, Zexion looked out of the corner of his eye and, honestly, he wasn't surprised to meet ocean blue orbs and a blond mullet. But, once their eyes met, it was like he was stuck and just couldn't tear his eyes away.

Xemnas…The man with the cold eyes. The man who constantly looked at him. The man who touched him. The man who _hurt_him. The man who…wasn't the same as Demyx. Demy with his happy, blue eyes. With his blond hair. His carefree smile. That contagious laugh that used to get Zexion to crack a smile even in one of his worst moods. They definitely weren't the same. But, as much as it hurt, Zexion couldn't let himself close to this one of the two. His former best friend…he missed him. He couldn't deny it anymore. He missed having someone to talk to. It'd been years since he'd been able to get things off his chest, and now, with the perfect person to talk to only a few feet away, he _couldn't_say anything.

He was the one to brake eye contact. He couldn't get close to him. He couldn't get close to him. He _couldn't_get close to him. And, maybe, if he kept telling himself that, he'd start to let Demyx go.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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"_No, daddy! I don wanna go! Daddy!" A tall man with long, light blue hair sighed, thoroughly exhausted from trying to calm the frantic four-year-old._

"_I'm sure you'll have fun. You'll meet lots of new people. You'll make lots of friends." The little boy's lips quivered, those big, blue eyes of his melting his daddy's heart. He really didn't want to go to school. He wanted to stay home with his daddy forever and ever. He never wanted to leave him._

"_I wanna stay home with you." He mumbled, crossing his arms and sniffling like he was about to cry. His father sighed again, this time picking his boy up and placing him on his hip. "No daddy! I don wanna! I don wanna!" The boy began to cry, kicking and screaming to be taken back inside. The man, however, wasn't fazed in the least by his tiny fists and feet, and got him in his car seat easily enough. Soon, the two were on their way to the pre-school, the boy's crying getting louder and louder as they got closer._

_Finally, they reached the tiny school, arriving a good bit later then all the other children. "Zexion, it won't be that bad. You'll have a good time. I promise." The boy sniffled as his daddy picked him up and carried him inside the pre-school. Several children were already playing with all the games and toys that were laid out for them, their colors blending in with the rainbow walls. Everything was colorful. The children's clothes, the desks, even the chairs were multicolored._

"_Are you Saix?" The man turned to his side, his kid still in his arms._

"_Yes. I'm sorry we're a bit…late." The woman smiles._

"_Oh, that's alright. I'm Aerith; we spoke on the phone. And, this must be Zexion." The blue haired little boy hides his face in his dad's shoulder. Saix chuckles softly, rubbing his back in a smooth circular motion._

"_He's a little shy."_

"_I can see that." A little laugh. "My little boy's in this class; I'm sure he'd be happy to play with Zexion." Saix nods at her and tried to put Zexion down, but Zexion isn't having that. He holds onto his neck and wraps his short, little legs around his waist as best as he could so his dad can't shake him off. Aerith can't help but smile at his childish antics. "Here, I'll take him." Slowly, Aerith pulls Zexion away from Saix, only to have him cling desperately to her._

"_Daddy will only be gone for a little while. I love you." Saix kisses Zexion on the nose as he begins to cry again._

"_Daddy don go!" Saix shakes his head and gives Zexion one last kiss before he leaves. The boy's crys get louder as he clings to Aerith, burying his face in her chest, not even noticing that she was rubbing his back, or that she had sat down._

"_Mommy, who'ssss thisss? Why are you cwying?" The bluenette sniffles, sitting up. There's a blond boy leaning on Aerith's leg, blue eyes twinkling with childish concern._

"_Who are you?" Zexion sniffs, rubbing at his puffy eyes. The boy smiles, showing off several missing front teeth._

"_I'm Demyx!" He shouts. Zexion quirks a little eyebrow at him. Aerith, believing her job was done, sets Zexion down and goes to tend to the other children._

"_I'm Zexion."_

"_Zzzex-yawn…" Zexion laughs behind his hands, a cute little giggle escaping through his lips._

"_Zexion." He corrects, smiling slightly._

"_I can't say thot…I'll call you Zexy!" He grabs Zexion's little hand in his and leads him towards the play area. "We're gonna be bess friendsss." And, Zexion believes him, following him through that maze of a pre-school._

_0.o.0_

Zexion jumped, head shooting up and eyes a little too wide.

"Nice of you to join us, Mr. Schemer." The teen blushed, hiding behind his hair as the class snickered. He'd never once done that before. He was always attentive during class…and he just fell asleep? How could he? Sure, he was tired from last night, but that happened all the time. He was _always_tired, but he'd _never_just fallen asleep like that. It just didn't happen.

Moreover, why did it have to be _that_dream? Wasn't his life bad enough without him having to remember all the good times? Couldn't he just be left in peace from it all? Just for a little while? No. Obviously, he could not. The only logical explanation was that he was born to be miserable and this was just…the icing on the cake, for lack of a better phrase. Yes, that's it. He'd become so used to his routine- wake up, go to school, go home, get fucked, repeat- that is had almost become bearable, and, that, apparently, just wasn't allowed.

Zexion sighed, resting his chin on his palm. _Life sucks._

0.o.0

"Hey, Demyx, where you headed?" The blond turned around so fast he tripped over his own two feet and crashed down to the ground on his bum. He pouted, bottom lip sticking out, as he looked up at the (still standing) redhead. Axel grinned. "You bring new meaning to head-over-heels."

Demyx couldn't stop the building sigh from escaping his lips. Of course Axel knew he was looking for Zexion. He _always_ knew. Ocean blue eyes glared at acid green ones. The green-eyed one just smirked. After all, Demyx's glares weren't very impressive. "So…?"

"So, what?"

"Are you going to help me up now or what?"

If possible, Axel's smirk grew. "Nope."

"Jerk." The blond mumbled.

The redhead sighed, extending a hand. "Okay-okay." Gratefully, Demyx took it and was gradually lifted to his feet.

"Thanks."

Axel shrugged. "Come on, let's go find your boy-toy."

"He's not my boy-toy!" Demyx blushed, his words falling on deaf ears; Axel was already half way down the hallway, not even bothering to wait up.

0.o.0

Zexion held back a whimper as his back was slammed against the side of the school, his fragile spine hitting hard brick. He refused to make a sound fro Xemnas; he could refuse to make a sound for these people as well. After all, they couldn't do anything worse then Xemnas already had. This was just a group of wannabes. The wannabe gangsters, thugs, and mob bosses. Every school had them; Twilight Town High was no different.

"Come on, cry. You know you want to." The bluenette couldn't stop the shudder that traveled down his spine, that commanding voice breathing lies in his ear. Seifer; the most brutal thug in school. And, he _hated_Zexion. He even went out of his way to corner him away from the rest of the student body. Him and his two lackies; Fuujin and Raijin. They were the worst. All three of them ganging up on someone so much smaller. Someone who would never tell. Someone like Zexion.

"I don-" The small teen doubled over as a fist sank into his concave chest; Seifer's fist. It hurt. It felt like his ribcage had been rammed into his spinal column.

"If you'd just cry, I'd stop." Zexion gritted his teeth. Liar. He wouldn't stop no matter what he did. His life didn't work like that. If he stayed like this forever, silent, maybe they'd just get bored and leave him alone. But, even if they never let him be, he wouldn't give them the _satisfaction_of seeing him cry.

Somewhere in the background, the boy heard laughing- Rai's probably- as the fist was pulled from his stomach and moved up to circle his neck, followed by the other. He coughed, feeble fingers pulling at the offending ones. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't _breathe._

Frantic, he dug into Seifer's flesh with his smooth fingernails. He had to let go. He just _had_to let go. Zexion started kicking, struggling for air. Hot tears welled behind his eyes. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't-

"_What and the HELL?!"_


	4. Chapter 4

Last chapter from luckless-is-me. Everything after this is going to be done by me, so, again, if you like this story, please check out luckless's other stories.

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Air. Life-saving air that burned the bluenette's neglected lungs. Air that stopped the little black lights from dancing in front of his eyes. Oh gods, he _loved_air. Sighing happily with a slightly hysterical edge, he sank to the cracked concrete-covered ground, back rubbing against the brick wall, irritating both his new and old wounds. And, for once, he didn't care about the pain or how pathetic he must look to Demyx and that redheaded friend of his only a few feet away; his saviors. But, did he really want their saving? He hated pity, and they were sure to pity him once this was over.

"Damn it, Seifer. What in the hell's wrong with you?!" Axel growled, literally _growled_, hands already worked into fists strong enough to shatter bone. This wasn't the first time he'd caught someone getting ganged up on by Seifer, and he highly doubted that it would be the last. It didn't matter that Axel hated Zexion. It didn't matter at all. All that mattered was that he was getting hurt. That was it and it was enough.

Seifer smirked, turning away from the recently dropped Zexion to Axel and past him to that bubbly blond Demyx, who, quite frankly, looked like he was going to be sick. "What's wrong with me? I was just wondering the same thing about him. He never once said stop." Zexion shuddered a bit from his place on the ground. What was wrong with him? He never told anyone about the abuse. He didn't stay in groups like the others who were taken advantage of. And, he just didn't…it's almost like he was asking for it! He just made it so easy…

"Uh…Zexy? Are you okay…?" Demyx asked, tentatively stepping a little closer. The bluenette didn't answer; he simply hid behind his fringe of hair. Demy couldn't help but feel concerned. Zexion just looked so small behind Seifer's legs, his body curled into itself. Seifer couldn't help but laugh wickedly at the look in the blonde's eyes. Roughly, the thug snatched Zexion by his arm and pulled him to his feet.

"You want him?" Demyx nodded, all the while watching Zexion wobble unbalanced. "Then, take him." Seifer forced the small teen forward, where Demyx caught him like he was some sort of breakable doll. "Have fun." And, Seifer was gone, Fuu and Rai following wordlessly behind.

"Zexy? Hey, Zexy? Are you okay?" The blond asked, tenderly setting Zexion comfortably on the ground, the two of them on their knees. Ocean blue eyes staring into strange blue hair. Axel stood above them, ready to comfort whomever needed it most. "Hey, look at me…"

But, he wouldn't. He _couldn't_. He kept his eyes on the ground, hidden behind his silky blue hair. His steal blue eyes couldn't look into the ocean blue orbs. They'd be like open windows, just as they'd always been. They'd be ready to hear his story; the one he couldn't tell. They'd…make him spill them all. All of his many secrets. And, he just couldn't…_wouldn't_do that.

"Come on…Zexy? Please look at me." A soft hand went to his chin, but he jerked away. _No, don't speak to me in that wonderful voice. Don't look at me with those beautiful eyes. Don't touch me with your perfect skin. You don't want me. I'll taint you. Just don't…just stay away from me._

And, Zexion was gone, on his feet, shoving his way in between his two saviors, running away. As far away as he could get, though it would never be far enough. Overwhelming heat threatened to spill over form behind his eyes. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry. He wouldn't _let_himself cry. He just-

_______

Lungs on fire, he struggled to keep up. Zexion was just too fast, even for someone like Demyx, with his in-shape build and excellent lungs. He nearly missed him taking refuge in the boy's bathroom, but he didn't. he'd followed just close enough behind him to see his blue-clad back disappear through the bathroom's cream door. And, if that was where Zexion went, Demyx would follow.

Hesitantly, he slipped inside. And, he heard nothing. No breathing. No crying. No movement. Nothing. "Zexy…?" Something fell in the last stall, the loud crash a direct contrast to the still silence. The last stall; where Demyx needed to be. "Zexy? Are you in there?" He pressed his ear in the crack in between the door and it's hinge. Breathing. Heavy, labored breathing. "Come on, talk to me. Please, Zexy? I miss you."

On the other side of the door, Zexion's breath hitched. _No! Don't say that! I can't get near you. I'll taint you. Please understand. Please, please understand._

"I'll come in if you don't say anything." _No!_ Demyx couldn't come in. He couldn't see him like this. No, not like this. He couldn't let him see this. Not the recently made scratches running up and down his scarred arms. Not the red veins running through his eyes threatening to spill tears any moment now. Not the hastily forming bruises. No, no, no. He couldn't see this. He couldn't. Zexion didn't want to taint him with all of his problems. His imperfections. He just couldn't let that happen. "Hey." Too late. Demyx was already sliding under the stall door. And, for the second time in less then an hour, Zexion couldn't breathe. He couldn't let him see. He couldn't let him _see._

Pale hands pulled on blue hair; he had to cover his face. He had to hide the bruises. The red-rimmed eyes. His bruises, his eyes. He couldn't let Demyx see them. His hands moved to his sleeves. _No, no, no!_ The sleeve was caught at his elbow. He couldn't let Demyx see. He couldn't let Demyx see. He couldn't-

He was too late.

A tanned hand held his wrist. Demyx's hand, his ocean blue eyes wide as he began to understand. Scratches over deep red scars. Scratches that weren't there moments ago. Scars that weren't there when they were younger. Scars that ran in angry lines across Zexion's pale, little wrists. Scars that…could only be caused by one thing.

A razorblade.

"Oh gods, Zexy…why…? Why would you do this…?" Zexion couldn't meet those eyes he just knew would be brimming with tears. Frantically, he tugged on his arm. Demyx would never understand. He _couldn't_tell him. He wasn't allowed, and if he told him one thing he just knew he'd tell him _everything_. And, what would Demyx think of him then? He'd pity him and only stay near him because he thought he had to. Or, worse, he'd _hate_him. Call him impure, tainted. All the things Zexion already knew he was.

"Demyx…" The blond let go, Zexion's arm falling to loosely hang by his side. Neither spoke. They just stood face to face in eerie silence for what could've lasted anywhere form second to eons. All that could be heard was the air escaping each ones lips as they took in breath after breath. Tear drops hit the tiled floor in uneven patterns. Zexion couldn't make himself look at those eyes that shed those tears. Demyx was never meant to cry. It hurt too much for someone like him to have streams of tears sliding down his face. He was just too happy. Too sweet. Too perfect.

"Zexy…just tell me why. I need to know…" _No, you don't. it'll only hurt you. Can't you understand that I can't tell you? Can't you? Can't you please?_

"Demyx…"

"Just tell me why!"

"It's none of your damn business!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he wished he could take them back. He didn't have to look up to see the hurt look in the other's eyes. To see the second wave of tears begin to fall.

"You're right. It isn't any of my business, _Zexion_." The bluenette flinched, watching Demyx's feet as he left, hearing doors open and close. Never had Demyx said his name like that. So cold. So uncaring.

Slowly, Zexion slid to the floor, hugging his knees to his chin. And, finally, he let the tears fall and fall. because, Demyx had left…and it was all his fault.


End file.
